Bilston students build up skills with work experience project

Students aged between 13 and 16 from Bow Street School in Bilston built up practical employability skills that they can take into the workplace through a project run by environmental charity Groundwork West Midlands and funded by UKSE.

The social impact funder, which works with companies across the West Midlands, has supported Groundwork to help students regenerate an area at Bilston Urban Village Nature Reserve to develop skills through hands-on work experience.

The project involved eight sessions at the nature reserve, each with six to 10 students in attendance. Pupils took part in a range of activities including vegetation removal, litter picking, small tree works and wildflower seed sowing.

The sessions were run by Groundwork community project officers and provided students with an increased knowledge of the environment together with practical skills to manage outdoor spaces that they can use in the workplace.

“It has been great to see the young people develop valuable life and practical skills that will benefit them in the future," said  UKSE regional executive Mike Lowe.

“UKSE’s main aim is to help businesses to grow and prosper for the benefit of the community, and this project with Groundwork has really brought this ethos to life.”

Located near the Black Country Route, Bilston Urban Village Nature Reserve is a greenspace owned by the Land Trust that is managed in partnership with Groundwork West Midlands.

Cannock-based UKSE, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel UK Limited, supports SMEs across Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Staffordshire and Telford through the provision of strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1m to generate growth, create local job opportunities and bolster the economy, 

Clare Harper, head teacher at Bow Street School, said: “The students have done a terrific job of improving the nature reserve for the local community. It has been amazing to see their confidence grow as they have completed the work.

“The project has given the pupils a real sense of accomplishment and helped them develop new skills that they can take back to school and into future employment.” 

Groundwork land and environment manager Melissa Underwood added: “The activities have provided the students with valuable insight into the daily responsibilities of a site ranger and opened their eyes to potential career opportunities in environmental and nature-based fields.

“It has been fantastic to witness their enthusiasm and growing interest in nature and their local environment.”